Wednesday, 25 June 2008

Okay, I admit, I've been spending too much time on this blog and my work is starting to show it.......but I had to share this article. It seems that a Naspers subsidiary has been doing some print jobs for Zanu PF.

But Naspers released results today, and because there is no socially responsible investing in this country the share price is up 5% already. Most probably no one will get fired.

Tuesday, 24 June 2008

I think some of you will know Carlos Francisco. He's going out with Melissa Budge. Anyways, we went to watch a doccie last night that he co-directed called Zulu Surf Riders. It was screened as part of the Encounters festival. It was really cool! despite being shot in 7 days on an almost non-existent budget. I guess the content is sort of self explanatory, but its about these young Zulu guys who have started a culture of surfing in their comunity in Umzumbe on the South Coast. See the clip below, and the website here

Thursday, 19 June 2008

The first title story of the new site? Julius Malema is still a doos. He's been instructed by the Human Rights Commission to retract and apologise, and even JZ, the object of Julius's passion, isn't comfortable with the little firebrand. Julius not only won't do what he's told, he has also now accused the media (aka third force) of distorting his words and launching a sustained attack on his character and that of the ANCYL, to discredit the organisation's good work.

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Never say never! Julius Malema (below), erudite, wise, eloquent successor to Fikile Beebopalula at the top of the ANC 'Youth' League, is actually worse that his former boss. I am sure no-one could begin to explain how this is possible, but Malema was Mbalula's pick, so maybe it isn't so puzzling.

At his first major public outing as the new Prez of this fantastically useful organisation - a Youth Day rally in Thaba 'Nchu in the Free State - he encouraged folks to take up arms if Zuma goes to court. Opposition parties and NGOs have gone ballistic, and Malema has subsequently argued that his statements were not irresponsible and do no incite violence, because the prospect of a Zuma trial remains remote. Eh, what? So the integrity of your public utterances are time-dependent?

Even the ANC itself has 'expressed concern'. After all this happened soon after their Western Cape provincial secretary, Mcebisi Skwatcha (another venerable chap) was stabbed in the neck (he survived) at a recent ANC Western Cape meetinng in Worcester. And let's not forget the ANCYL's April national conference circus, where Malema was 'elected' - some claim he stole it. Reports suggested that certain venerable delegates (we shall call them 'elements') disrespected showed their asses to ANC leadership, other ANCYL presidential candidates, and basically anyone they disliked. Chairs and other objects became multi-purpose tools of protest.

The ANCYL is supposed to produce cultivated early middle aged people to fill posts in the ANC's senior leadership, and maybe eventually even run the party. The ANCYL was established by Madiba (check the cool youngster below), and has for a long time produced precisely those kinds of people.

But fokkit these ass clowns of recent times are something else, but no-one seems to care. Mbalula nabbed an NEC post at Polokwane because he backed the right horse. And the ANCYL seems to me these days to be little more than a finishing school for the easily tempted, ethically questionable, politically ambitious leech...

Justices Rule Terror Suspects Can Appeal in Civilian Courts

WASHINGTON — Foreign terrorism suspects held at the Guantánamo Bay naval base in Cuba have constitutional rights to challenge their detention there in United States courts, the Supreme Court ruled, 5 to 4, on Thursday in a historic decision on the balance between personal liberties and national security.

The ruling came in the latest battle between the executive branch, Congress and the courts over how to cope with dangers to the country in the post-9/11 world. Although there have been enough rulings addressing that issue to confuse all but the most diligent scholars, this latest decision, in Boumediene v. Bush, No. 06-1195, may be studied for years to come.

In a harsh rebuke of the Bush administration, the justices rejected the administration’s argument that the individual protections provided by the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 were more than adequate.

“The costs of delay can no longer be borne by those who are held in custody,” Justice Kennedy wrote, assuming the pivotal role that some court-watchers had foreseen.

President Bush, speaking in Rome at a news conference with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, said: “We’ll abide by the court’s decision. That doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. It was a deeply divided court, and, I strongly agree with those who dissented.” The president said the administration would work with Congress to see what measures could be devised to deal with the detainees. The issues that were weighed in Thursday’s ruling went to the very heart of the separation-of-powers foundation of the United States Constitution. “To hold that the political branches may switch the Constitution on or off at will would lead to a regime in which they, not this court, say ‘what the law is,’ ” Justice Kennedy wrote, citing language in the 1803 ruling in Marbury v. Madison, in which the Supreme Court articulated its power to review acts of Congress.

Reflecting how the case divided the court not only on legal but, perhaps, emotional lines, Justice Scalia said that the United States was “at war with radical Islamists,” and that the ruling “will almost certainly cause more Americans to get killed.”

“The nation will live to regret what the court has done today,” Justice Scalia said.

And Chief Justice Roberts said the majority had struck down “the most generous set of procedural protections ever afforded aliens detained by this country as enemy combatants,” and in doing so had left itself open to accusations of “judicial activism.”

The chief justice said the majority had gutted the Detainee Treatment Act without really giving it a chance. “And to what effect?” he wrote. “The majority merely replaces a review system designed by the people’s representatives with a set of shapeless procedures to be defined by federal courts at some future date.”

Indeed, the immediate effects of the ruling are not clear. For instance, Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon, a Pentagon spokesman, told The Associated Press he had no information on whether a hearing at Guantánamo for Omar Khadr, a Canadian charged with killing an American soldier in Afghanistan, would go forward next week, as planned. Nor was it initially clear what effects the ruling would have beyond Guantánamo.

The 2006 Military Commission Act stripped the federal courts of jurisdiction to hear habeas corpus petitions filed by detainees challenging the bases for their confinement. That law was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in February 2007.

At issue were the “combatant status review tribunals,” made up of military officers, that the administration set up to validate the initial determination that a detainee deserved to be labeled an “enemy combatant.”

Thursday, 12 June 2008

But... this evening we rescued a seagull chick who had fallen six stories out of it's nest off a roof and if we didn't save him he would die! So speckles (after Pumpkin patch and because he is speckled) will be adopted by the SPCA tomorrow.

And in other news a piglet in Yorkshire who is afraid of the mud has been given mini-wellies! You will be pleased to know that the pig farmer has decided not to turn him into sausages and is keeping him as a pet!

Ok. I'm not trying to make a point by posting this stuff, I promise. I was just interested to see what you think.

I think what annoys me, more than the obvious hypocrisy, is the amount of airtime dedicated and level of analysis. Of course its to be expected - local news vs international. Its just the warped perspective that it creates here. Or maybe I'm just being naive?

Wednesday, 11 June 2008

Hmmm, okay either there is something in the water in Germany or else they have a secret animal mutating factory. Just had to post these as the last one elicited so many comments....

And I thought my cat Easter was fat! Mordred Grosfahrt of Andover West Germany claims the title of worlds largest cat with "Dubya" a 65 pound monster five year old female house cat - I don't think this picture looks real though - what do you guys think?

And Hercules, the world's biggest dog... - this one looks more real but he lives in America.

Monday, 9 June 2008

I don't know how many of you have seen this but it is funny - Herman the giant Greman rabbit! He weighs in at 22 pounds and measures a little over 3 feet. he is a breed of rabbit called german giant. This is his owner, Hans Wagner, struggling to hold him up. "We don't feed him an unusual diet said Wagner. He goes through more than his brothers and sisters, but he eats the same food mix. His favorite food is actually lettuce. He can never get enough of it."

Sunday, 8 June 2008

Wednesday, 4 June 2008

HeyDon't know whether you guys have already seen this, but was re-watching today and thought I'd share. I genuinely believe that this is one of the most intelligent political speeches that I have heard ...(and I apologise, cause it is kinda long)